Educator Guide: Shaking up Earth

erupting volcano

Scientists have peppered the planet with seismometers that can detect the rumble of moving magma within a volcano, and GPS stations can spot changes in land elevation as magma swells below. But anticipating eruptions remains tricky.

BRUCE DAVIDSON/NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY/ALAMY

About this guide

In this guide, students will learn about the development of the theory of plate tectonics and discuss how scientific theories are formed.

This Guide Includes:

Earth on the move

Students will answer questions about the online Science News article “How the Earth-shaking theory of plate tectonics was born,” which explores how scientists formed the theory of plate tectonics. A version of the story, “Shaking up Earth,” can be found in the January 16, 2021 issue of Science News.